*Transiency: the state or fact of lasting only for a short time; transitoriness. The attribute of being brief or fleeting. Synonyms: brevity, briefness, shortness, impermanence
We live in a fast-paced world. There’s a rush in doing everything. We don’t like wasting our time, but this urgency and immediacy are also imposed by society. Being unproductive is a crime. The tyranny of speed makes us unable to deepen and delve into our own experiences. We are not savouring life; we are merely swallowing.
In addition to this worrying thread, humans look for the adrenaline of the first moments. Some people are hooked on the novelty of things, situations, places, and relationships. It’s normal: powerful neurochemicals such as dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin surge through the body, igniting all sorts of pleasurable feelings. As with any other drug, they generate certain tolerance to this euphoria, and the excitement levels eventually attenuate. That’s when they leave. They wish to hold on to this exhilaration as if it was everlasting.
Eternal ecstasy seekers, always chasing the high.
In contrast, a diverse group of people is aware of this circumstance, so they try to avoid experiencing something entirely to not get overdosed on it. It’s better to have no more than a little taste than to immerse with heart and soul, to indulge in a passion to its fullest extent. They don’t want to get too much, supposing they’ll spoil it; they don’t want to embrace the affair eagerly just in case they get bored. The risk is that it could stop being special.
They’re committing the same mistake as the previous type of individuals: attributing worth to newness.
Often the result of this combo ends with a similar fate: everything is transitory and superficial. Nothing transcends anymore. The danger is that the depth and meaning of specific exercises that demand time to develop their full potential are being lost. Dreaming, thinking, loving… Some of the most valuable enterprises in life are atemporal.
For all of them, I have the same advice: REMAIN. You might find pleasure again in a different form.
The once-felt bliss derived from the unusualness of one activity could transform into the joy of mastery and proficiency. The fading enthusiasm of moving to an offbeat place can evolve into the comfort of what we call home. Passion has the potential to translate into love and intimacy. Passion is not finite; passion is not transient. Passion is transformational.
Passion, if nourished properly, remains.
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